Types of Headaches and Natural Headache Relief

 

June is Headache and Migraine awareness month, and if you’re one of the 45 million Americans who suffer from recurring headaches or migraines, then you’ll want to read my blog posts over the next few weeks. Headaches are one of the most common pain related health problems in the U.S., and we spend more than four billion dollars every year on over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Join me as we explore headaches and migraines, including natural and effective approaches to preventing, minimizing and reducing the severity of your headaches.

There are a number of “types” of headaches including:

* Frontal Headache – pain in the forehead, bridge of the nose and/or cheeks often caused by tension or a sinus inflammation.

* Vertex or Parietal Headache – pain on the top or crown of the head.

* Occipital Headache – pain on one side of the back of the head usually caused by the occipital nerve being pinched.

* Hormonal Headache – head pain, many times on one side of the head, caused by a change or imbalance of the hormones.

* Sinus Headache – Pain behind the eyes, the bridge of the nose, behind the nose and/or in the cheeks caused by sinus inflammation, congestion and/or infection

* Cold & Flu Headaches – Head pain triggered by congestion and/or inflammation that accompanies a cold or flu.

* Environmental Headaches – head pain triggered by changes in the weather, heat, chemicals, perfumes, flashing or bright lights, or loud noises.

* Food-Related Headaches – Head pain triggered by foods containing tyramine, nitrites and nitrates, MSG or food coloring. Foods that contain these ingredients include aged cheeses, processed meats, pickled items and red wine, to name just a few.

Headaches can be caused or triggered by a number of things, most of which are not life threatening. If you’ve ruled out life threatening causes for your headaches and want to explore preventing and treating your headaches naturally, keep reading…

The most common causes of headaches are stress or tension, hormone fluctuations, something in the environment, and dehydration. I urge you to do some detective work and try to discover what’s causing your headaches so you can prevent them, find fast relief, or at least minimize your headache pain. Here are some ideas:

 

Natural Headache Relief

1. A Remedy that Works - At the onset of headache symptoms take Clear Headache, a unique blend of homeopathic and herbal ingredients specifically formulated to relieve headache pain without side effects or dependency. If you suffer from Migraines,try Clear Migraine. If your headaches are caused by sinus inflammation, congestion or infection, take Clear Sinus & Ear. I would suggest taking Clear Sinus & Ear in conjunction with Clear Headache. The reason being is Clear Sinus & Ear will relieve the pressure caused by the congestion and/or infection thus relieving some of the pain. Clear Headache will help relieve other symptoms along with the pain of the headache caused by the sinus congestion. These formulas provide fast and effective relief for many, and as an added bonus they help minimize the occurrence, length and severity of headaches.

 

2. Drink or Eat -- Dehydration is the culprit in many headaches as it causes the blood vessels in the head to constrict.  At the first signs of a headache drink a couple big glasses of water and continue to hydrate throughout the day. If you haven’t eaten recently, low blood sugar can be causing your headache. Eat a healthy snack or small meal to get your blood sugar back to normal.

 

3. Retreat – It may sound obvious, but sometimes when we get a headache instead of stopping what we’re doing, we continue on in hopes our headache will go away. One of the best ways to stop a headache in its tracks is to rest in a cool, dark and quiet room for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pain subsides.

4. Hot or Cold – Heat increases blood flow, loosens muscle tension and can relieve congestion, while cold reduces blood flow and inflammation, all of which can help relieve headache pain. Choose whichever one you feel will help your particular headache pain and go with a cold or hot compress on your head or a hot shower. You can also alternate cold and hot compresses for 5 minutes each starting with cold. Experiment to see what works best to relieve your headache.

5. Acupuncture – Acupuncture has not only helped reduce the severity and length of headaches for many, it has stopped their headaches from recurring. With acupuncture, small needles are inserted into specific points of the body to open blocked energy channels, reduce muscle tension and encourage the release of painkilling endorphins.

Tune in to learn more about headaches and migraines as well as Clear Headache and Clear Migraine formulas when I join Dr. Dan's radio show, Healthy House Call, on KNFX 1100 AM. “Healthy House Call” is broadcast live from Healthy Habit Health Foods at 6029 N 7th Street, in Phoenix June 17th or when I join Valerie Hall on the Gateway to Vibrant Health radio show on June 22nd heard in Southern California. The Vibrant Health radio  show is also streamed worldwide on www.kcbq.com . 

Best in Health!


About the author:

Dr. Stas' Ozog III, Ph.D.(A.M.), L.Ac., Dipl. A & C.H.(NCCAOM), MTOM